RU2685850C2 - Connecting element and cable with smart clothes connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.SUBSTANCE: connecting element and cable with connectors, including electronic connector of HDMI type, including outlet section and multiple elastic connecting conductors. Each of the elastic connecting conductors is galvanically connected by one end to the corresponding pre-configured output connector of the electronic connector. Second end of each of the elastic connecting conductors is pre-set for functional connection with the corresponding sensor, for example, textile electrode of clever clothes.EFFECT: as a rule, at least one of the elastic connecting conductors is a connecting conductor made of textile materials.16 cl, 9 dwg

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority in accordance with paragraph 119 (e) of Section 35 of the United States Code of Laws (USC) on provisional application US 61 / 981,213 of April 18, 2014, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This application also relates to international application PCT / IL2013 / 050964 (ʹ964) of November 23, 2013, the description of which is incorporated herein in full by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH INVENTION RELATES.

The present invention relates to wearable health monitoring systems made of textile materials, in particular, to devices and methods for physically connecting electronic devices to smart clothing with embedded textile electrodes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND KNOWN TECHNICAL LEVEL

Smart clothes are designed to monitor the vital signs of a living being wearing such smart clothes. Smart clothing may contain a variety of textile sensors to determine various physiological parameters of a living being. Smart clothing also contains a processor for processing data received from sensors. As a rule, textile sensors have textile conductors that facilitate the process of transferring data from textile sensors to the processor. As a rule, smart clothes are connected to work with electronic data processing devices in order to process different physiological parameters of the creature wearing smart clothes. There is also often a need to quickly connect / disconnect electrical devices from the processor, for example, when cleaning smart clothes. The claimed invention satisfies the specified need. In addition, the claimed invention improves the ease of handling "smart" clothing. Thus, the structure of the conductors of the claimed device provides the required conductivity without limiting the elasticity or resilience of “smart clothes”, which increases the comfort of wearing them, and in embodiments of the invention it is possible to machine wash and dry such “smart” clothes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, devices and methods are disclosed for providing a physical connection of an electrical connector with corresponding built-in textile electrodes of smart clothing for use with pre-configured electronic devices. Textile electrodes can be used to receive high quality ECG signals and other biological signals.

The present invention discloses a method for safely connecting conductive textile yarns and an electrical connector.

The present invention discloses a method for safely connecting conductive textile yarns and an electrical connector, so that the connector is hermetically closed, which allows cleaning of smart clothes, including using machine wash and drying.

The present invention discloses the essence of elastic textile connecting conductors, which can be starched together with clothing made of elastic materials.

The present invention discloses the essence of elastic textile connecting conductors with a given conductivity. Textile connecting conductors can be woven using a predetermined number of threads to provide the necessary electrical conductivity of a predetermined length of conductors.

In accordance with the idea of the present invention, a connector and a cable with connectors are exposed, including an electrical connector having an outlet section and a plurality of elastic conductors. Each of the flexible connecting conductors is galvanically connected by a first end to a corresponding pre-configured output plug of the electronic connector. The second end of each of the flexible connecting conductors is pre-configured for a functional connection with a corresponding sensor.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an HDMI connector is used as an electronic connector.

In some embodiments of the present invention, at least one of the elastic connecting conductors is a conductor made of textile materials.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a textile electrode of smart clothing is used as a sensor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connecting element and the cable with connectors are made of materials resistant to cleaning using washing machines and drying using drying machines.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the electronic connector includes a printed circuit board with a plurality of connecting plugs, each elastic connecting conductor securely and retaining electrical conductivity attached to a corresponding plug of the plurality of connecting plugs of the printed circuit board.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the secure attachment of each elastic connecting conductor and the corresponding plug of the plurality of connecting plugs of the printed circuit board is made by pressing the corresponding contact into the corresponding conductor, either using an electrically conductive adhesive, or combining both.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the printed circuit board includes at least one means of protection that trips the corresponding electrical line when an abrupt voltage jump occurs.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the electronic connector includes a connector body, wherein the connector body and the elastic connecting conductor section located near the electronic connector are closed with a sealed enclosure.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the connecting element and the cable with connectors further comprise a built-in cover attached to the open end of the electronic connector for additional sealing of the connecting element and cable with connectors.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the connecting element and cable with connectors further include a connecting element to ensure a reliable connection of the connecting element and cable with connectors to smart clothing.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the outlet section of the electronic connector is made generally perpendicular to the direction of connection of the connecting conductors to the electronic connector.

A feature of the present invention is the presence of a device with an HDMI interface, which facilitates the functional connection of any external control unit to smart clothes using a connecting element and a cable with connectors. A device with an HDMI interface includes a two-wire connector input, an interface housing including the first and second sides, and a printed circuit board with an interface. Each of the inputs of the two-wire connector is adapted for functional connection to the outlet section of the electronic connector. Pre-configured connecting elements are securely fastened in the interface of the printed circuit board, in pre-configured locations, on one or both sides of the interface of the printed circuit board. Advice openings in locations related to the location of the external interface connectors of the printed circuit board are formed on the first and / or second front side of the interface housing to facilitate access to the external connection elements.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the input of the two-wire connector is adapted to match the outlet section of the electronic connector.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the external connection members are selected from the group including snap-in buttons and toothed clips.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the interface of the printed circuit board includes at least one means of protection that disconnects the corresponding electrical line when an abrupt voltage jump occurs.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the external control unit is an ECG signal control and processing unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more clear from the detailed description below and the accompanying drawings, which are given solely as an illustration and thus do not limit the present invention, moreover:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a hermetically sealed HDMI connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention with textile connecting leads extending from a connector in which the sealing sheath is removed for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 2 at a 1: 2 scale, a detail view A of a connector section is shown, as shown in FIG. one.

FIG. 3a shows an example of a hermetically sealed HDMI connector, as in FIG. 1, including sealing plastic.

FIG. 3b is a side view of the joint section, as shown in FIG. 3a

FIG. 3c is a side view of smart clothes using a hermetically sealed HDMI connecting element and cable with connectors, as shown in FIG. 3a.

FIG. 4 shows another exemplary embodiment of a hermetically sealed HDMI connector with a sealing sheath, in which the connector output is located generally perpendicular to the supply connecting cables.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of an HDMI connecting element and a cable with connectors, as shown in FIG. 3a and 4.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an example of an HDMI device having a two-wire connector input, and shows the first side of an HDMI device with the first set of snap buttons.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of an HDMI device, as shown in FIG. 6, but shows a second side of the device with an HDMI interface with a second set of snap buttons.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an example of an HDMI device shown in FIG. 6

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a printed circuit board of an example of an HDMI device, as shown in FIG. 6, in which the housing cover is removed for illustrative purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawings, which depict preferred embodiments of the invention. The present invention can be made in various forms and is not limited to the embodiments presented herein; These options are presented for the purpose of a complete and comprehensive presentation of the invention, fully conveying the scope of the invention to specialists in this field.

An embodiment is an example or implementation of the invention. Different references to "one of the options", "option" or "one of the options" do not necessarily apply to one option. Although various features of the present invention may be described in the context of one embodiment, these features may also be presented separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the description of the invention may be given in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the invention may also be implemented using one embodiment.

Reference in the description to “one of the variants”, “variant” or “one of the variants”, “another variant” or “other variants” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described with respect to the embodiments is included by at least one option, but not necessarily apply to all variants of the invention. The phraseology and terminology used in this document should not be construed as limiting and intended for descriptive purposes only.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings. FIG. Figure 1 shows an example of a hermetically sealed HDMI 100 connecting element and cable with connectors in accordance with embodiments of the present invention with connector 110 and elastic connecting conductors 130 extending from connector 110, ready for safe connection to pre-prepared places on smart clothes (not shown). The sealing sheath is not shown in FIG. 1 for illustrative purposes. FIG. 2 at a scale of 1: 2 with reference to FIG. 1 shows detail A of connector 110. FIG. 3a shows an example of a hermetically sealed HDMI connecting element and a cable with connectors 100 with a hermetic sheath 140. FIG. 3c shows a side view of smart clothes 50 using a hermetically sealed HDMI connecting element and cable with connectors 100.

It should be noted that the HDMI 110 connector is shown as an example, and any other type of connector can be used.

Connector 110 includes a small printed circuit board 116. The printed circuit board includes a plurality of contacts 118 for safely connecting each contact 118 to the connecting conductors 130, for example, without being limited to, pressing each contact 118 into the corresponding conductor 130 using electrically conductive glue or combining both of these options.

The housing 114 of the connector 110 is preferably closed by a shell 140 of a hermetic material, for example, of rubber. In a preferred embodiment, the pre-prepared portion 120 of the conductor 130 is also enclosed in a hermetic material 140 to protect the connector and the prepared portion 120 of the conductor 130, in particular to facilitate cleaning smart clothes with washing machines and drying with drying machines (at a temperature of about 80 ° C). As a rule, each conductor 130 is designed to transmit a single signal.

In a preferred embodiment, for additional sealing of the connector 110, an open cap (not shown) is provided at the open end 112a of the connector 110, so as to protect the connecting element 100, including the connector 110 itself and the attached element 122.

In conductor section 130, the independent connecting conductors 130 are insulated from each other.

Conductors 130, as a rule, without restrictions, are made of an elastic material, such as nylon, and are coated with ions of silver or another metal, such as gold, copper, or stainless steel. As a rule, the conductors are woven in such a way as to maintain elasticity, which corresponds to the elasticity of smart clothing and does not limit its elasticity. As a rule, each conductor 130 consists of a previously prepared number of independent conductive filaments, so as to ensure the conductivity control of these conductors 130, as a rule, according to the length of the conductor 130.

Typically, each woven conductor 130 consists of a pre-selected number of independent conductive filaments, which are individually twisted with non-conductive filaments, such as nylon or polyester, which allow each conductor 130 to be insulated.

In a preferred embodiment, the implementation of the use of a connecting element and cable with connectors 100, which include an attachable element 122 to ensure the safe connection of the connecting element 100 with smart clothes 50, for example, by stitching. Thus, when removing the connector 110, the conductor 130 does not pull the corresponding electrode 60 and does not distort the received signal.

In a preferred embodiment, the implementation of the use of a connecting element with a conductor 130 is designed for at least 50 cleaning and drying cycles.

Typically, the free ends of each stranded conductor 130 are securely connected to a previously prepared place of smart clothes 50, for example, to the advising electrode 60, for example, by stitching or gluing with electrically conductive glue. Connections can be applied directly to the corresponding electrode 60. Also, connections can be applied to a previously prepared place on smart clothes in which this previously prepared place is electrically connected to the corresponding electrode, for example, by using another conductor. Thus, the signal received by the electrode 60 can be transmitted through the conductor 130 and the connector 110 to an external electronic device preconfigured to receive such signals.

FIG. 4 shows another implementation example of a sealed connecting element HDMI 101 and a cable with connectors incorporating a sealed casing 140 where the output of connector 112b is usually located perpendicular to the cable of conductor 130. Thus, when an element connected to the output of connector 112b is operated, the processing element does not the pulling force of the cable on connector 110 is transmitted, so that no pulling force is transmitted to the conductors 130.

In some embodiments, the HDMI connectors 100 and 101 include protections to protect smart clothes processing devices (not shown), electrically connected to the connectors (100 or 101) and the cable with connectors, from power surges resulting from such devices like a defibrillator that is activated on at least one electrode electrically connected to a smart clothes processing device.

FIG. 5 shows a circuit diagram 300 of an HDMI 100 and 101 connecting element and a cable with connectors. The HDMI circuit includes independent electrical lines 310 for each incoming conductor 130. At least one electrical line 310 includes protection means 319 that disconnects at least one electrical line 310 during a voltage jump, thus preventing high electrical impulses from passing to device processing smart clothes. In some embodiments of the present invention, the protection means may include zener diodes and / or other high voltage protection means, such as, for example, an eight-contact ZL70584 integrated circuit.

A feature of the present invention is a device with an HDMI interface that helps to process any ECG signals and signals of a monitoring unit with the ability to functionally connect to smart clothes 50 via an HDMI 110 connector. FIG. 6-8 show examples of the implementation of the device with an HDMI 200 interface in accordance with an embodiment having a housing 210, an input of a two-wire connector 240 configured for a functional connection to the connector 110, and several snap-in buttons 230 are electrically connected to the input of a two-wire connector 240. In FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the input 240 of the two-wire connector and shows the first side 212 of the device 200 with an HDMI interface with the first set of buttons 230. In FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the input 240 of the two-wire connector and the second side 212 of the device 200 with an HDMI interface with a second set of buttons 230. In FIG. 8 shows a side view of the input 240 of a two-wire connector.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an example of a printed circuit board 250 of an HDMI device, where the covers of the housing 212 and 214 shown in FIG. 8, removed for illustrative purposes. The printed circuit board 250 includes the printed circuit board 252 itself, an input 240 of a two-wire connector, in which the snap-in buttons 230 are securely connected to the printed circuit board 252 in a previously prepared place, using such a device as a connecting clip 232. The buttons 230 are securely connected to the printed circuit board 252 in such a way that the input 240 of the two-wire connector is functionally connected to the connector 110, and each button 230 is electrically connected to the corresponding terminal 118 of the connector 110.

As a rule, common ECG signal processing units are designed to be connected using snap-in buttons or toothed clips. However, the present invention is not limited to connecting with said snap buttons or toothed clips and can be adapted to any other type of connector.

In some embodiments, protections 319, which provide the opening of at least one electrical line 310 (see FIG. 5) at high voltage, are embedded in the circuit of the printed circuit board 252.

The present invention is described on the basis of embodiments and examples, and it is obvious that it can be performed in many ways. Such options should not be considered as a departure from the essence and scope of the invention, and all such modifications should be obvious to a person skilled in the art and should be included in the scope of the claims.

Claims (26)

1. Connecting element and cable with connectors, including: a) an electrical connector with an outlet section; and b) a set of elastic connecting textile conductors containing conductive textile threads, wherein each of said elastic connecting textile conductors is connected with preservation of conductivity by the first end with a corresponding pre-configured output plug of said electronic connector; and where the second end of each of the elastic connecting textile conductors is pre-configured for a functional connection with the corresponding sensor. 2. The connecting element and cable with connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that said electrical connector is made in the form of an HDMI connector. 3. Connecting element and cable with connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor performs the function of a textile electrode for smart clothing. 4. Connecting element and cable with connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that they are made of materials resistant to cleaning with the help of washing machines and drying with the help of drying machines. 5. A connecting element and a cable with connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that said electrical connector includes a printed circuit board with a plurality of plugs, each said elastic connecting textile conductor being safely connected while maintaining electrical conductivity to a corresponding plug of said plurality of plugs. 6. The connecting element and cable with connectors according to claim 5, characterized in that the safe connection of each specified elastic connecting textile conductor and said plug from a plurality of plugs is made by pressing the corresponding contact into the specified corresponding textile conductor, either using electrically conductive glue or combining both options. 7. A connecting element and a cable with connectors according to claim 6, characterized in that said printed circuit board contains at least one means of protection that produces a disconnection of a corresponding electric line in the event of jumps of electrical impulses. 8. The connecting element and cable with connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic connector includes a housing, and this housing and part of elastic textile connecting conductors located near the electronic connector are covered with a sealed sheath. 9. Connecting element and cable with connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that they additionally include a built-in cover attached to the open end of the electronic connector, thus providing additional sealing of the connecting element and cable with connectors. 10. Connecting element and cable with connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that they additionally contain a connecting element to ensure the safe connection of the connecting element and cable with connectors to smart clothing. 11. Connecting element and cable with connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that said outlet section of the electronic connector is generally perpendicular to the input direction of connection of the connecting textile conductors included in said electronic connector. 12. A device with HDMI interface that facilitates the functional connection of any external control units to smart clothes using a connecting element and cable with connectors in accordance with clause 1, including: a) input two-wire connector; b) interface housing including the first and second sides; and c) a printed circuit board with an interface, each input of the specified two-wire connector adapted to the functional connection to the specified outlet section of the specified electronic connector; moreover, the pre-selected number of external connecting elements is safely connected to the specified printed circuit board with an interface in a pre-configured location on one or both sides of the specified printed circuit board with an interface; and where the corresponding holes in the locations corresponding to the placement of said external connection elements on said interface of the printed circuit board are formed on said first and second sides of the housing of said interface to facilitate access to said external connection elements. 13. Device with HDMI interface p. 12, characterized in that the input of the specified two-wire connector is adapted for use with the specified outlet section of the specified electronic connector. 14. A device with HDMI interface according to claim 12, characterized in that said external connecting elements are selected from the group including snap-in buttons and toothed clips. 15. A device with an HDMI interface according to claim 12, characterized in that the printed circuit board with an interface contains at least one means of protection that disconnects the corresponding electrical line during a voltage surge. 16. A device with HDMI interface according to claim 12, characterized in that the external control unit is designed as an ECG control and processing unit.

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